Delusion
by Les-Gateaux
Summary: Jirou's dreams become reality, except that he himself doesn't realize it...


Disclaimer: UGH.

Stupid, stupid, stupid of me to have forgotten summer homework until the last two weeks; even stupider because I'm not in the mood to write nonfiction. Gatsby, and Shogun, and Dune, and the titles are blurring together until something needs to die, and I'll be the one to do the killing.

Not pleased, so no humor – my mood is growing increasingly foul these days, as the threat of school looms ever nearer. I think sarcasm's overpowered humor, anyways, and cynicality subdues them both.

(Someone mentioned, in a review, that I shouldn't have killed Jirou; so I tortured him instead, along with a large quantity of other characters. You've been warned, and if you ignore the warning and burn your hands on the stove, don't place the blame on me.)

(Second warning – Narcoleptics who sleepwalk with knives are bad.)

**Delusion**

_If a boy falls over a silent cliff, does he make any sound? _

_--_

Jirou wakes up in a white room, and sees no windows, and falls asleep again.

--

Atobe lies on his back, eyes half-open. He is too still, and his hands are cold, and Oshitari rubs them, trying to wake up someone who is already gone. Ohtori is crying; Ohtori is weak, he thinks, and his glasses are fogged, so he lays them on the table next to his captain and closes his eyes.

--

Marui is frozen in time, sitting on a chair, clutching a white stick. The lollipop has melted, Kirihara thinks, even though it is winter outside, because Marui's shirt is stained crimson, and he can find no other possibility. The chocolate in his hand falls to the ground, and he grinds it beneath his feet, because it is Marui's fault for not being awake to eat it.

Yanagi enters, and tells Kirihara that he will play against him, and that Marui will wake up later. Kirihara agrees, even though playing Yanagi is not much fun, and lifts his racket from under Marui's chair. Some of the liquid has spilt on the handle; he dips a finger in it, and licks it experimentally, and it tastes like copper instead of cherry.

--

Jirou has a dream that he kills Atobe, and wakes up laughing, because Atobe is immortal.

--

Fuji has fallen in love, and the fall kills him; his hand clutches another one, the fingers overlapping, and both hands are stained red. Ryoma wonders, vaguely, whether blood can really substitute for water, because the grass they're lying on is wilted, and the trees dying. Stupid of them to die, inconsiderate really, because he has no one left to play against except his father, and repetition bores him.

He never did learn how to counter Hakugei, he remembers, and walks away, thoughtfully sipping Ponta, and waits for the shock to hit him.

--

Yukimura is gazing into space, amethyst eyes clouded. His white neck is bruised; Sanada trembles, needing to know what has destroyed such beauty. Either Niou or Yagyuu is crying, and either Niou or Yagyuu is not; everyone is there, except for Kirihara and Yanagi, because they are playing a game outside.

Yanagi is patient, Sanada remembers, and will take care of Kirihara once realization strikes. But for now, Kirihara is laughing, and Sanada tries to cry, but he no longer has a shoulder to cry against.

Kirihara wins, six games to zero, and starts screaming.

--

Jirou wishes he could see Fuji, or Marui, because he hasn't seen them for some time – or perhaps it was yesterday.

--

Yuuta thinks that if he tries something dangerous, his brother will come and save him, because that is the pattern of their life. He is afraid, but excited, because he wants to prove that he does love Syusuke, and does trust him, so he swings his leg over the windowsill.

Mizuki grabs his hand as he falls, and pulls him back up; Yuuta slaps him, because Mizuki has stolen Syusuke's place, and Syusuke will not be coming to rescue him any more.

--

Saeki crumples the newspaper, and leans back in his chair, staring up at the ceiling. He wonders whether Yuuta is all right, and how Yumiko is keeping up. Then he wonders how he's doing, himself, because all he feels is numb.

He looks at his desk, and picks up a frame with a picture – an old photograph, really, of Syusuke clasping hands with him, back when they had been the only people in each other's lives. Syusuke had asked Saeki to marry him, and Saeki had agreed, and Yumiko had snapped a dozen pictures.

He wonders whether Syusuke remembered the promise, and tries not to look at the paper, because Syusuke is holding someone else's hand, and is smiling through the blood on his face.

--

Jirou dreams that Yuushi is smiling at him, because he's the new high-school champion, and it's doesn't matter that it's because everyone better than him is dead.

_--_

_If a dream becomes a twisted reality, then is all life a dream? _

--

Quite possibly the strangest thing I've ever written, to be blamed on eating Pocky, whipped cream, moon cakes, and carrot sticks at the same time – never try, unless you want to gain ten pounds in a few hours, and thank God for my metabolism.

Torture is addictive – I think I'll do it a bit more; prepare yourselves.

But, yes, humor is coming, because I do have to humor plot bunnies. (See the pun? Lolol. Sigh.)


End file.
